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Downton Abbey Episode 04.03
Episode 04.03 is the third episode of the Fourth season of the UK-US produced period drama, Downton Abbey. The episode focuses on a house party given at the abbey and the various situations that take place. This also shows the pain that Anna Smith Bates goes through when she is raped by an evil valet. So violent was the scenes where Anna was beaten that there was a disclaimer that stated Viewer discretion is advised; and the episode raised a bit of a stir when it was shown on ITV. Real-life opera singer, Kiri te Kanawa, makes an appearance as the late Australian opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba. Plot A bevy of guests have descended on Downton for a weekend house party. This brings various people like the Dutchess of Yeovil (Joanna David) who bonds with Tom Branson, who feels like he is totally out of place, along with other people. Lady Mary Crawley is reintroduced to an old friend, Anthony Foyle, Lord Gillingham (Tom Collins), and she becomes enamored with him, although he is slated to be engaged to a woman named Mable Lane Fox. Also attending were Sir John Bullock (Andrew Alexander), who is attracted to Rose MacClare); and Terrence Sampson, a scheming man who only came along because he wangled an invitation from the Earl of Grantham. Edith's publisher boss/paramour, Michael Gregson, was also invited. He begins to get to know the family. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Mrs. Beryl Patmore is a wreck as she is scurrying around to get everything just so for the dinner. With the help of her assistant, Daisy Mason, she is able to handle it, although she does get stressed out. During the last evening of the party, Mrs. Patmore has a panic attack and she is afraid she is having a heart attack. Daisy helps her to a chair, while Alfred Nugent comes to the dinner's aid by making the sauces. So well-received was his sauces that it only solidifies him to want to become a cook. Daisy tries to get a jar of marmelade opened, but she, Ivy and Alfred fail to open it, while James opens it......and promptly drops it and breaks it. Mrs Patmore is furious, even after Jimmy falls. Daisy and Ivy clean it up, as it is "assumed Mr. Clever Clods won't!" A furious Jimmy storms off. Meanwhile, Australian opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba is invited to entertain the guests on the final night of the party. Her presence aggravates Robert Crawley as he thinks having her here would be too expensive, and that the special moment should have been something less expensive......like watching the sun set over the lake. As a result of Jimmy's breaking the marmelade jar, he hurts his wrist (it was later proven to be a faked injury). However, Carson, to help take care of things, enlists Joseph Molesley to substitute as a footman. Meanwhile, Tom is being harassed again by the troublesome Edna Braithwaite who is again trying to undermine his being a member of the gentry and making him have another crisis of who he is. Anna herself is having to deal with the attentions of one Alex Green (Nigel Harman), the valet of Lord Gillingham, who doesn't endear himself to John Bates, her husband, as he thinks that something about him just rubs him the wrong way. Later on it was proven that he was right.......in a very tragic way. The scheming Terrence Sampson has a penchant to bring the men in for poker, and is doing everything possible to clean the other guests out, but later on, it is Michael Gregson who earns the gratitude of everyone when he out-sharps the card sharp by telling him to pay what he owes the others or no club in London would touch him! Violet Crawley convinces Isobel to come to the house to listen to the opera singer. She convinces Isobel to come out of it, because she needs to break herself of sitting along and mourning Matthew's death. At dinner, Isobel tells Tom that she sees Mary laughing and chatting with her suitors, and she feels bad that while they are alive, Matthew is dead. Tom takes her hand and squeezes it, as Violet nods her approval to him. Cora Crawley finds out that Carson and Robert have arranged to have Dame Nellie to eat her dinner in her room. She scolds Robert and demands that he have her next to him at dinner and "you will like it!!!" Robert finds out that she is a fan of claret wine and she has made an extensive study of it. This puts Robert at ease. Down in the servants hall, Green sets up a game of Racing Demon, a card game. The noise annoys Bates who demands that it stop when Mrs. Patmore has her stress attack. However, during the performance of Dame Nellie, when she goes down to get a headache power, Green overpowers and slaps Anna. She is then taken all over the servants hall and she is raped in a vicious and extremely violent manner by the evil Green. After the performance, and everyone is abed and asleep, she is hiding in Elsie Hughes's sitting room, and the housekeeper discovers her, hair messed up, in tears and a cut on her lip. Mrs. Hughes helps her, and gets her a new dress. The scheming Edna again tries to get a despondent Tom into her grasp, by bringing him a large whiskey intent on getting him drunk. She then slips into his room. Bates discovers Anna is upset, but she doesn't tell him about Green raping her and she doesn't want him touching her. She walks out of the abbey back to their cottage and she is in tears. Category:Downton Abbey episodes